MELIOR LAWASSOCIATED LAW FIRM · ROME
REAL ESTATE

Real estate due diligence: planning, cadastral compliance and contractual risk

A cadastral plan alone does not establish the legal status of a property. Effective due diligence reconstructs the asset’s planning and building history and translates technical findings into contractual risk.

Legal status of the property

The analysis starts from planning and building titles, subsequent variations, amnesties and the current lawful status of the asset. The cadastral record serves a different function and cannot substitute planning-law verification.

Cadastral and planning compliance

Cadastral conformity and planning legality are distinct concepts. A transaction may present issues under one system even where the other appears regular.

Use, habitability and marketability

Intended use, habitability requirements and the possibility of lawful use may materially affect value, financing and the purchaser’s intended operation.

From technical finding to contractual allocation

The purpose of due diligence is not merely to list irregularities but to determine whether they can be cured, at what cost and within what timeframe, and which party should bear the resulting risk.

Representations, conditions and remedies

Material findings should be reflected in representations and warranties, conditions precedent, price adjustments, escrow arrangements or termination rights, depending on the transaction.

An integrated method

Legal due diligence works best when lawyers and technical advisers coordinate around the economic purpose of the acquisition and the buyer’s intended use of the asset.

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